[SJackson]

Napoleon also desired for the Jews to completely assimilate, while many Jews wanted to retain their distinctiveness and costums. A rabbinical gremium had to assure Napoleon that the Jewish community would be in conformity with French laws in order to get equal rights. Fillon is referring to this... I detect no antisemitism here

Who knows, odd comment given that he's referencing actions almost two centuries ago. And what about Catholics. France is a predominately Catholic country, how was it difficult to assimilate Catholics. Probably close to 100% of the country then. Up in the 80 percentiles now.

[dfwgator]

France is a predominately Catholic country

Maybe Culturally Catholic, at best.

[SolidWood]

I understand his reference to Catholics to be in the same vein as I explained above.

There was historically a great (and often bloody) conflict between religious Catholics (often also Bourbon royalists) and the secular/anti-clerical French Republic.

See the Vendee rebellion.